1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sampling device useful in taking unit dose samples and/or bulk samples of powders, liquids or semi-solids from a stream of pharmaceutical or food compositions at different time periods. Samples can be collected directly into gelatin capsules or any other suitable sample container positioned in the sampling device, thus eliminating the need to transfer the collected samples to sample containers. Alternatively, the samples can be collected into cavities in the sample collecting disc, and the samples subsequently compressed into pills using a compression machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the manufacture of solid dosage forms in the pharmaceutical and food industries, blending of different active and inactive ingredients is required in a blender. Such blends are routinely sampled and tested for uniformity in content. A proper sampling technique requires unit dose or bulk sampling from different areas of the blender, e.g., top, middle and bottom of the blender. A unit dose sample is defined as a sufficient sample size to provide one dose of the active ingredient. A bulk sample is defined as a sample size large enough to provide several doses of the active ingredient. Conventionally, samples are obtained by inserting a rod-shaped sampling device having multiple sampling cavities with or without dies into the blended composition undergoing mixing in a mixing vat, drum or the like. However, such a sampling technique, especially for powder compositions, disturbs a powder bed during sampling, thus influencing the test results, and requires samplers of different lengths for different depths. In addition, such powder sampling devices cannot offer the versatility of compressing the powder samples into tablets or collecting the powder samples directly into gelatin capsules. Moreover, conventional powder sampling devices do not combine unit dose and bulk sampling in one sampling device as in the present invention.
The related art will be discussed in the order of its perceived relevance to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,017 issued on Dec. 19, 1995, to Ivan Pinto et al. describes a unit dose material sampling apparatus for removing a sample of granular or powder material from a vat in which such materials are mixed in bulk. A tubular housing contains a shaft with a piston on one end and a threaded section proximate the opposite end which has a thumb wheel and a spring outside the housing. The housing has a thumb or set screw which adjusts the volume of sample to be taken by cooperating with the threaded section of the shaft. The housing supports by external collars a cam rod and handle which rotates a conical closure cap for closing and opening the housing for sampling. The device is distinguished by its reliance on an internal piston structure to collect and pack the pharmaceutical powder sample.
Japan Patent No. 39-5897 issued on Apr. 28, 1964, describes an automatic sampler device for sampling a falling stream of a powder-grain mixture by mechanically inserting a cylindrical sampling tube into and withdrawing from the flowing stream. The sample mixture is mechanically dumped into a case. The device is distinguished by the dissimilar structure of the mechanical sampling device.
Russia Patent No. 423,845 issued on Sep. 4, 1972, describes an automatic sampling machine for obtaining single granules flowing down from a conveyor belt. The sampler consists of four truncated semicones on individual spokes of different adjustable lengths which rotate on a driven shaft in a ferris wheel manner. The intent is to sample granules from different parts of the falling stream. The rotating semicones dump their granules into a trough which feeds an analyzing device. The machine is distinguished by the mechanical and structural differences from the singular manual device of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,642 issued on Sep. 20, 1988, to William H. Parth et al. describes two solids sampler devices (movable and non-movable) permanently positioned horizontally for collecting and continuously analyzing for moisture content by either infrared ray or neutron absorption of a sample of particulate polymer resin beads from a vertical pneumatic conveyer system pipe. The movable embodiment involves a sampling cup installed within the pipe with the sample collecting cavity moving in and out from below the cup. The devices are distinguished by their fixed structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,587 issued on Feb. 28, 1984, to Norton W. Risdal describes an automatic sampler device for dry material flowing under pressure of 15-100 p.s.i. in a horizontal flow duct or spout. The sampling device is attached at an oblique angle of 30-60.degree. below the horizontal duct. The sample tube is housed in a tubular casing having an enlarged box chamber at an outer end connected to an air cylinder which controls the input and exhaust of pressurized air to motivate a piston to project a slotted sample tube into and out of the flow duct. The tubular casing has a sample delivery duct with a collection bag for automatically collecting the sample when the sample tube is retracted. The projection and retraction periods are automated by timers. The dry material sampling device is distinguished by its fixed and automatic structure of the dry material sampler.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,477 issued on Aug. 22, 1989, to Dennis A. Wienck describes an improved dry material sample collector for intermittently sampling a cross-section of a conveyed bulk material such as a cement mixture. A permanently housed sampling unit is affixed on a liquid cement mixture flow pipe with its collector head, i.e., a hollow piston rod, inserted in the cement flow. The housing contains a pneumatic cylinder and various flow control valves such as a check valve, a pinch valve, a long delay switch valve, and a short delay adjustment switch modular valve. The liquid cement mixture is separated within the housing to collect the sample in a jar and to exhaust gas. The dry material sample collector is distinguished by its dissimilar structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,978 issued on May 12, 1987, to Ralph Linski et al. describes a clean grain sampler for a combine harvester. A prism-shaped receiving cup rocks about its bottom edge to collect grain samples and dumps the samples with its sides acting as closures for the grain tank. The clean grain sampler is distinguished by its unique pivoting structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,997 issued on Sep. 19, 1989, to Kevin W. Kaufman describes a telescopic grain probe with a thermistor attached at one end to automatically measure the temperature of the grain sample. The probe tip has a grain receiving chamber which is automatically closed on insertion of the probe device, and automatically opened for sampling by two diametrically opposed inclined fins which accommodate flaps. The structural differences of the temperature measuring grain probe distinguish this apparatus from the present invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, the manually operated stream sampling device solving the aforementioned problems is desired.